Mystery Thriller Pick: Ten

Ten
by Gretchen McNeil
Balzer + Bray
2012
294 pages

Creepy, chilling, cunning, and clever, Ten is a knockout mystery.

BFFs Meg and Minnie are sneaking off for a weekend of partying on a remote island off the coast of Washington. They get an invitation from popular girl Jessica and can't wait to have a blast without the watchful eyes of adults. The ferry deposits the girls on Henry Island and promises to come back for them Monday. The girls scan the beach and see two figures walking toward them.

T.J. Fletcher and new guy Ben help the girls find White Rock House where the party is supposed to be in full swing. They are fearful of the rickety land bridge they have to cross through rough surf but have no choice but to use it. Other kids are already at the house.

Ten is the new teen answer to Agatha Christie's classic And Then There Were None. The kids play a DVD they find and it's chilling. It contains cryptic messages and ends with "Vengence is mine." The kids are understandably spooked, but when a severe winter storm knocks out the electricity and Internet; they can't get cell reception as the island is too far from any cell towers. Cut off from the world and stuck together on a deserted island in the dark puts them all on edge.

As the bodies start piling up, the kids come to the conclusion that there is a killer in their midst and everyone becomes a suspect. T.J. and Meg form a close alliance due to their past "near" romance; Meg tries to keep her distance because she knows that her BFF Minnie is in love with T.J. Meg is always looking out for Minnie's feelings and well-being. Minnie is on bi-polar meds, but when they disappear, Meg knows Minnie may flip out.

The storm knocks out the footbridge, so now they are cut off from the other side of the island. They will have to weather the storm alone stranded with a malevolent killer. T.J. and Meg brave the elements to check out the boathouse. There is a boat, but the radio has been stripped from it and the keys to the boat are missing. Someone took the radio and the keys!

Who will survive? And who is the killer? Why is the killer after them? Can Meg save Minnie from a total meltdown? Can they outlast the storm?

Highly recommended grade 9-up. Some language, some talk of sex and cheating, murder.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Mythology Pick: Fury

Fury
Book 1, The Fury Trilogy
By Elizabeth Miles
Simon Pulse
2012
370 pages

Fury captivates from the first pages; teens are likely to be swept up in the teen gossip and behavior, popular cliques and mean girls, hot guys and buff athletes, Christmas parties and double dating. This novel is a guilty pleasure for “Gossip Girl” junkies.

Ascension High School has its “ins” and “outs,” and once you’re out there’s no getting back in. Chase has learned the hard way to put on a false front in order to be popular. No one gets too close to Chase—he doesn’t want them to know his family’s problems and poverty. He pretends to be part of the rich crowd and playing football has made him part of their crew.

Em is happy that Zach is finally noticing her, but she can’t give in to her own selfish passions. Zach is her best friend’s boyfriend after all. Three beautiful and mysterious girls keep showing up on the scene and soon it’s pretty clear they’ll stop at nothing to get revenge.

Once you’re marked, you’re theirs. And they don’t forget. And they don’t forgive. Revenge is sweet.

The cover has beautiful teen eye appeal with the fire-red haired temptress, and this itself will likely help the book jump off book store shelves. The ending sets up nicely for the next in the series. Although the book is supposed to be about revenge and the Furies, they are only a small part. I expected them to make an earlier and more pronounced presence. Maybe book 2 will unleash their full potential.

Recommended grades 9-up. Some talk of sex, teen partying, drinking, bad behavior, suicide. Not for middle school.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

High School Pick: Burn for Burn

Burn for Burn
By Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian
Simon & Schuster
2012
368 pages

Available September 18, 2012

Revenge. A great word; a powerful word--so full of nuance and danger, and that’s what makes Burn for Burn a great new ya read. Readers meet the three main characters: Mary, Kat, and Lillia and many (perhaps too many) bit players in this “Gossip Girls” meets “Revenge” inspired story.(“Revenge” was one of last season’s great t.v. shows). The girls have all been wronged and they meet secretly to discuss their next targets and mean girl plans.

At first the girls plan practical jokes, but then it escalates into minor criminal behavior and before blowing up into someone facing death. That’s the problem with power---it can get you in trouble fast, and when there are others willing to use their power, will you be strong enough to face them? And can you face the consequences of your own actions?

Jar Island is its own little Peyton Place—it’s insular and set apart from the mainland and the rest of civilization. Everyone knows everyone and everyone knows your dirty, little secrets. Lillia is a teen queen at her high school—she’s smart and popular but she’s had enough of some people’s pettiness. She’s fed up and she won’t let anyone take advantage of her younger sister. Kat is the sullen girl, the one who smokes cigarettes and hangs out with older boys. She loves danger and isn’t afraid of getting her hands dirty. Mary returns to Jar Island after going away for four years. She has a terrible secret, yet she is drawn back to the island like a moth to a flame. When the three of them band together, they will not be stopped.

One problem with the book: there are many characters and readers may become confused with storyline. Also, Mary seems to have a strange power? Or does she? There are a couple of hints that she may have some paranormal power, yet then that plotline is never developed.

Kat and Mary were my favorite characters due to each of them being both weak and strong. They are also the most developed characters in the novel.
Recommended grades 9-up. Language, sex, mature situations.


FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.